Christina Aguilera has revealed that living with an abusive father gave her the determination to become a successful singer.
According to ContactMusic, the popstar was the victim of domestic abuse when she was growing up and also regularly witnessed her father Fausto attack her mother Shelly.
Aguilera said: "I witnessed a lot of unpleasant things - a lot of pushing and shoving and fighting and quarrelling.
"Growing up I did not feel safe. Feeling powerless is the worst feeling in the world.
"I turned to singing as an outlet. The pain at home is where my love for music came from."
However, the star's mother eventually left her husband when she found her daughter, aged 4, covered in blood.
In a recent E! TV documentary, the singer's mother said: "I scooped her up and said, 'Oh my God. What's wrong?'
"She told me, 'Daddy wanted to take a nap and I made too much noise'."
